Kidnapping victim escapes captor at Burger King drive-thru in Norwich

A New York man accused in a kidnapping Friday in which the victim escaped through the drive-through window at a Burger King in Norwich was ordered held today on a $200,000 bond at his arraignment in Middletown Superior Court.

Davendra Persaud, 30, of Lynbrook, N.Y., is accused of kidnapping an East Haddam woman at gunpoint, according to state police.

At 9:51 p.m. Friday, police in Norwich fielded 911 calls from the Burger King on Salem Turnpike in Norwich about a man with a gun and a woman who claimed she was kidnapped. The unidentified victim said Persaud, who is an acquaintance, kicked in her door, brandished a gun, walked her to his vehicle and drove her to Norwich.

While in line at the Burger King drive-through in Persaud’s Dodge Caravan, police said the woman claims to have escaped from the vehicle and jumped into the drive-through window.

Thinking the woman had entered the vehicle in line in front of him, police said Persaud chased that vehicle, stopped it and held a gun to the two innocent passengers.

Police located and arrested Persuad at 10:45 p.m. Friday in Haddam by “pinging,” his cell phone. Police said Persaud denies ever having a handgun.

Charged with first-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, two counts first-degree reckless endangerment and carrying a handgun without a permit, Persaud is due back in court on Oct. 22.